


Planting a Seed of Happiness

by eviruu



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Cantare Song Zine, Character Study, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-06-28 07:26:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19807519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eviruu/pseuds/eviruu
Summary: 'The Bluebird of Happiness'. A title that means so much to Tsumugi. Even if the bird falls, it'll keep flying. Even if the bird gets hurt, it'll keep humming. Even if the bird's wings are broken without repair, it'll keep bringing happiness.(Written for Cantare, an Ensemble Stars Song zine based on Tsumugi's solo song 'Bluebird Humming'.)





	Planting a Seed of Happiness

**_Singing bluebird, for your happy…_ **

Every journey has a start. Or at least, every book and every story do. A ‘once upon a time’ where the hero sets out on their epic quest and ends up happy by the end, many companions made along the way right by their side.

It’s not that Tsumugi doesn’t believe in the hero’s journey. After all, it’s been the main plotline for many books he has read over and over, almost draining the words printed on ink in every single page. It just doesn’t seem like he would play such a pivotal role in a story as the protagonist. More likely, he would end up the antagonist, but that seems too important for him too.

Rather, Tsumugi would prefer to be a side character. One that aids the hero on their quest towards glory and victory. The hero who charges on ahead with a noble goal at the forefront of their mind, whether it be to save the world from some ancient evil or to right the wrongs of their society.

A side character who helps the hero any way they can, relieving their burden even just the slightest. Tsumugi doesn’t need to be printed in the pages of history. Tsumugi doesn’t need to be recorded within the hero’s story to be passed down along the ages. 

Tsumugi just wants to be right by the side of his hero. To watch their journey as it unfolds. To be a confidant to the legendary hero.

And with that, the bluebird sings its first note.

* * *

Today’s lucky color is red.

Not that Tsumugi would know, however. As a child, he has yet to develop any interest in daily fortunes. He’s watched his mother and father collect charms said to bestow luck upon the wearer. They pile up endlessly in their home and while his older brother gazes upon them with disdain, Tsumugi feels nothing but neutrality towards them. 

It’s his parents’ search for fortune that brings him to the current events. He doesn’t understand the full extent of the situation at the time, only that a group spouting something or other about religion and salvation tried to convince his parents to join their group.

They almost were. That is until his mother went to consult a fortune teller. The fortune teller who saved them from an ill fate. To Tsumugi, she was a real bonafide hero.

The next day, the fortune teller (now forever named a hero in Tsumugi’s mind) brings a child in a beautiful pink dress to their class. Tsumugi’s attention is immediately drawn to the delicate yet detailed lace trimming sewn at the bottom of the dress.

Seated on the ground along with the other students, Tsumugi can’t help but stare at the child’s face. Her features are sharp, full of beauty. Her eyes are gold, as mystical as those sacred treasures in his book but they are filled with life, with a stark defiance of unknown target to Tsumugi.

“Students!” Once his mother, temporarily assuming the role of the headmistress, called out, Tsumugi poured his full attention onto her instead, though his mind still lingers on the child. “We have a new friend today!”

His mother gestures out towards the child and beckons her to take a step forward. She responds with a frustrated huff but complies nonetheless. 

“This is Natsume Sakasaki and she’ll be practicing alongside us to become an idol! Isn’t that right, Natsume-chan?”

Natsume just glares at his mother in response, then turns her eyes towards her own mother at the side before sighing. In a quiet voice, she says, “Nice to meet you.”

Tsumugi claps as she finishes her introduction, as has become custom everytime a new person joins their idol training school. Natsume is the first to join in quite a while.

They quickly go back into their routine of singing and dancing lessons before their customary break. It’s a schedule that Tsumugi has gotten used to. The new addition of Natsume in their classes did draw his eyes though and he finds himself approaching her during their break where he finds her seated in the far corner. 

Natsume instantly gives him her distinctive greeting of a glare before promptly ignoring his presence and going back to drinking water. Tsumugi laughs and sits himself next to her. It’s not the first time he’s dealt with such a prickly classmate.

“How’re you doing, Natsume-chan~?” Tsumugi asks in a light tone. Natsume doesn’t budge. “I’m Tsumugi Aoba! It can be a bit tough to suddenly learn all these idol stuff but it’s fun, isn’t it? But, you were beautiful today! You picked all of it so fast! You’re a genius!”

This time, Natsume did turn her eyes towards him slightly. Tsumugi takes that as a victory and pushes on.

“You’re really talented if you could do all of that so well! Dancing and singing like that, you must be destined to be an idol! I’ve been here since the school started but I can’t even measure up to that!”

There’s a light pain on his shoulder and Tsumugi turns to see Natsume had hit him on it. Well, at least he got a response!

  
  
Natsume doesn’t do anything else, her mouth still sealed shut and her hand still poised for another hit. Eventually, she just sighs and says, “Tsumugi-niisan, right?”

“Niisan?” Tsumugi blinked. He certainly didn’t expect Natsume to call him that but he quickly turns his confusion into a smile. “Yes! I’m Tsumugi-niisan!”

“Everyone calls you Tsumugi-niisan so I thought you would be reliable but you’re just annoying,” Natsume mutters.

“That’s no way to talk to your elders!” Tsumugi playfully scolds, still smiling widely. “Well, it doesn’t matter to me anyway. Come on! Let’s go to class together!”

Tsumugi jumps up and does a quick run to stand right in front of Natsume, stretching a hand out towards him. He does a wink like those idols on television, just for good measure. 

Natsume heaves a sigh once more but she grabs his hand once more, perhaps just out of kindness. “You’re detestable.”

This continues for a few more weeks before Natsume leaves the school, same as many before her. Tsumugi continues his own set routine of pestering the rest of his classmates, acting as a big brother before them. Inevitably though, they all leave. The school shuts down.

That doesn’t matter though. It’s still a step to Tsumugi’s journey and he takes a leap forward. Maybe at an idol school at Yumenosaki, he would see ‘Natsume-chan’ again. Maybe at Yumenosaki, he could become the character he always wanted to be.

* * *

_(“Even if you tell me to, I won’t be able to forget the dear Natsume-chan from my childhood~!”_

  
_  
_ “...”

  
_  
_ “Ah! Don’t hit me! That hurts…”

  
_  
_ “You deserve iT. I told you to let go of my disdainful paST.”

_“That’s still really hard though, Natsume-kun! Anyway, I really thought of you as a beautiful and fair princess. Now that I think about it, since your dear mother is a hero, aren’t you a hero too?”)_

* * *

Today’s lucky colour is white.

And so, Tsumugi carries along a white _omamori_ , wears white socks and his uniform’s inner shirt is already white so he’s settled on that.

As the class representative, he’s assigned the duty of carrying handouts to Eichi. As well as taking care of him, a task given to him by his homeroom teacher. He copied down all the notes that might be necessary, accumulating to about ten pages and as Tsumugi stares down at them, he worries that his handwriting would be too small for Eichi to read. The last thing he wants is for Eichi to strain his eyes and damage his health even further.

As soon as the class bell rings, Tsumugi makes his way over to the hospital.

When Tsumugi gazes upon Eichi’s figure in his white bed, dressed in a white hospital gown with blonde hair almost the shade of white, he thinks that it might have been fate.

Greetings are exchanged and Eichi Tenshouin becomes ‘Eichi-kun’, one of the most important people in his life, while Tsumugi Aoba becomes the ‘Bluebird of Happiness’. It’s a title given to him by Eichi, trying to make his last name more pleasant and it’s one he would treasure for as long as he lives. 

“Let’s get along next time as well, Tsumugi. ...Please, I want you to be my friend.” When Eichi asks this of him, Tsumugi immediately agrees.

It’s the start of _fine_ and another step in his journey. Though it brings the darkest moments in his life, it also gives him his brightest sparks. Tsumugi wouldn’t trade his relationship with Eichi for the world.

* * *

_(“We’ve gone through a lot, haven’t we, Eichi-kun?”_

_“We sure have.”_

  
_  
_ “You don’t have to act so distant with me! We were unitmates, were working towards the same goal! ...Besides, it’s been two years since then. We’ve both graduated, after all! We work towards your second wish now. We can try to be friends, like we once promised.”

_“You sure always throw that word around a lot, Tsumugi. You always surprise me. Don’t you have any apprehensions after all that’s happened?”_

_“It’s because of everything that’s happened that I can keep smiling like this. Look upon the Yumenosaki of now and be proud. You’ve reached your goal, haven’t you?”_

_“That is the case. Haha, you sure have an interesting way of looking at things ...Thank you, Tsumugi. You truly are a good... friend. Who knew that title I gave you when we first met would carry on until now?”)_

* * *

Today’s lucky colour is red, again.

Perhaps this is fortune being cruel to him. After all, his lucky colour is the very same red that he’s currently drenched in. The same red that belongs to the blood from both him and the innocent Oddballs _fine_ had killed in the war.

He doesn’t regret it. His chest hurts, his heart aches but Tsumugi doesn’t regret it.

As the leader of _fine_ , he carries out their final task. He strikes a match of fiery red and burns a fire as ashes disappear into the sky. The paper records all crumble into dust, feeding that growing red. 

Tsumugi stares at it. There’s no more physical proof of the ordeals of the war. All that remains is the peace that _fine_ had so painstakingly fought for.

He’s satisfied. He’s been sated. He fulfilled his goal as the hero’s side character. He managed to live out the story of his dreams.

Now, Tsumugi’s back to being the irrelevant extra that no one remembers. No one cheers for that nameless NPC who goes about their days with no aim. Only he himself will remember his role in aiding the brilliant revolution within Yumenosaki.

He doesn’t regret it in the slightest.

The ashes continue to spiral upwards towards the sky, tainting the dark blue winter with the black past that Tsumugi shall forever carry. The stains disappear and the happy ending has been reached.

The papers have fully burned and all that remains of their existence is the licking of the growing, red flames. Their purpose have been fulfilled.

The same could be said for him, quite frankly. Perhaps all that’s left for him is to join the ashes that spiral back into non-existence... 

He’s broken out of his thoughts by a shadow entering his peripheral vision, alerting him to another person’s presence. A shadow that stands tall and proud, unbudging. Tsumugi wouldn’t mind if he drowned in that sort of shadow.

Tsumugi forces himself to look up; it wouldn’t do for someone to put a stop to his actions now.

“Ehi-?! Huh? Natsume-cha-… Natsume-kun? How long have you been standing there?”

  
  
He certainly didn’t expect Natsume to be standing there. It was almost poetic in a way: the one who started his journey would be the one to end it. The past him would call it ‘dramatic irony’ with a proud tone.

Natsume tosses a thick envelope into the fire. The ashes rise even higher.

Tsumugi braced himself to be hit by Natsume; it’s what he deserved after all that he’s done. He’s murdered Natsume’s older brothers, his real ones unlike the fake him, without hesitation. He’s stabbed Natsume right in the stomach and left him to bleed out painfully without death. By all means, he should disgust Natsume.

And Natsume does speak with disgust in his voice. While his golden eyes still remain as sharp as they did when he was a child, there’s a softer emotion behind them. Almost like pity.

To be honest, Tsumugi fully believed that moment right there would be his end. Or perhaps the climax of his own story as a nameless extra, killed by those he had damned and slowly dies offscreen. 

Instead, Natsume extends a hand. In turn, Tsumugi dedicates his life to him right there and then.

“Until death do us pART. ...What’s thIS, a propoSAL?” 

Tsumugi can’t help but laugh.

* * *

_(“Don’t you think it must be fate, Natsume-kun?”_

  
_“What iS, MojacKO?”_

_“Your mother’s magic brought me to you and your magic brought me to where I am now. You’re my hero~!”_

  
  
_“You believe in your fiction too muCH. If you’re really under my magIC, you should act like iT.”_

_“Sorry, sorry! But, I’ve always been under your spell, Natsume-kun!”_

_“...HM. As if I would let go of you that easiLY. I did say until deaTH. I intend to keep you alive for a long whILE.”_

_“Does that mean you’ll work alongside me to take care of the idols in my company?”_

_“Someone has to keep you from teaching the children bad morALS. I’ll bestow my fortunes onto thEM.”_

_“Uwa! Thank you, Natsume-kun~!”_

_“Just don’t be as detestable as you were as a chILD, ...Tsumugi-niisAN.”)_

* * *

Today’s lucky colour is blue.

Maybe it’s a coincidence. Maybe it’s fate. Nevertheless, that’s today’s diagnosis for the lucky colour of fortune.

Tsumugi takes in a breath. 

A sea of blue lights stretch out in front of him, moving at a rhythmic pace, lightsticks held by their loyal fans. Fans who are cheering for Switch. Cheering for him. 

With Natsume at his side, he grabs a hold of his microphone. Natsume’s gentle smile and firm grip on his shoulder, pushing him further towards the light, the next day.

With Sora at his side, he reaches a hand out towards the crowd. Sora’s bountiful energy and playful tug at his hand, beckoning him onwards to the spread of colours, all of his friends and partners.

With the bluebird of happiness, he takes a step forward. The bird may have been shot down once before but it soars once again. It sings with joy, carrying an olive branch in its beak and flies ahead without looking back.

The past is tainted with blood and pain but he’ll keep going. The present is full of longings and regrets but he’ll keep walking. The future is blinding with concerns and doubts but he’ll keep running. 

“Listen to the bluebird of happiness’s magic, everyone!” Tsumugi shouts out, finally letting a joyous smile settle on his lips. “I will deliver this seed of happiness to you forever!”

**_Every moment, you can hear humming!_ **

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for Cantare which is @enstsongzine on twitter!! Please check all of the other entries out, everyone worked super hard on the zine! 
> 
> I had a lot of fun writing for this too, especially since it's for Tsumugi who's incredibly dear to my heart.
> 
> Chat to me on twt @tennplate about enstars or any other fandoms in general!


End file.
